The team was coached by Bob Devaney and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.
2 Ohio State both lost their bowl games earlier in the day and a 17-12 Nebraska victory that night in Miami gave the Cornhuskers their first AP national championship.
Through the 1973 season, the final UPI Coaches' Poll was released in early December, before the bowl games.
In 1970 it picked Texas as national champion on December 8, before the Longhorns' 24-11 loss to Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on New Year's Day.
Notre Dame (10–1) finished second to Nebraska in the final AP Poll, released after the bowls in early January.
1 ranking in the final AP Poll and Orange Bowl victory) during a January 14, 1971, celebration at the Nebraska Coliseum.
P Lowe, Rex #83 (Sr.) SE Malone, Dan (Unk) DT Mason, Dave #25 (Jr.) MON McClelland, Tom #16 (Jr.) S McFarland, Bob #10 (So.)
LCB McGhee, Donnie #70 (Sr.) OT Miller, Jim (Unk) DE Morell, Pat #40 (Jr.) LB Morock, David #43 (Sr.) MON Murtaugh, Jerry #42 (Sr.) LB Newton, Bob #74 (Sr.) OT Newton, Clint #13 (Jr.) RCB Norberg, Bill #32 (So.)
LB Tagge, Jerry #14 (Jr.) QB Terrio, Bob #45 (Jr.) FB Vactor, Frank #19 (Sr.) HB Walline, Dave #76 (Sr.) DT Weber, Bruce #61 (Jr.) OG White, Daryl #72 (So.)
The Demon Deacons would go on to win the ACC title, their last until 2006. at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, California Nebraska entered the game as a two-touchdown underdog to a USC squad fresh off a 42-21 whipping of Alabama in Birmingham, but never trailed the Trojans during the course of the game.
The subsequent defensive battle continued through into the 4th quarter before the Cornhuskers broke away with an additional 14 points, one from a 48-yard punt return touchdown.
at Folsom Field • Boulder, Colorado Nebraska pulled out in front right away with a 12-0 1st quarter lead, but stubborn Colorado fought back and trailed the Cornhuskers by only 13-15 in the 4th quarter - after missing a 2-point conversion that would have tied the game - before Nebraska decided to stop the uprising with two touchdowns in the last 10 minutes to pull away.
It wasn't until 7:42 remained in the 4th quarter that Nebraska pulled ahead by a touchdown to settle the final score.
at Miami Orange Bowl • Miami, Florida Third-ranked Nebraska jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and lead 10-3 at halftime, but #5 LSU fought back to make a game of it, pulling ahead on a field goal at the end of the 3rd quarter to get to 12-10.
With over eight minutes remaining, Jerry Tagge jumped over the pile from the 1-yard line for the game's final points, and the Blackshirts held on the rest of the way to preserve the win.
Top-ranked Texas and #2 Ohio State both lost their bowl games earlier in the day, which allowed the Huskers to claim their first national championship.